Athletics: Former US Olympic sprinter Tim Montgomery was sentenced to 46 months in prison for his role in a check fraud scheme, part of a spectacular fall for the onetime world's fastest man.
"I stood at the top of the mountain and heard the cheers from
the people," the former gold medal winner told the judge in seeking
leniency. "In jail, my status is gone. I am just as human as
everyone else."
Judge Kenneth Karas imposed the maximum sentence allowed
under federal guidelines, holding Montgomery responsible for
getting his coach, his agent and the disgraced superstar Marion
Jones involved in the scheme, leading to their downfalls.
Jones, once Montgomery's girlfriend, was sentenced to six
months for misleading investigators about the check fraud scheme
and for lying about her steroid use in another probe.
She was stripped of her five 2000 Olympic track medals and is
in jail.
Montgomery came to Friday's sentencing hearing already in
federal custody on suspicion of conspiracy to possess heroin with
intent to distribute in Virginia, a case for which he has yet to be
tried.
In 2000, Montgomery won an Olympic gold medal as a member of
the United States 4x100-meter relay team in Sydney.
Two years later, he set a 100-meter world record of 9.78
seconds, but the time was erased from the record books after the
U.S. anti-doping agency determined he received steroids. He was
barred from competition in 2005.
Montgomery pleaded guilty last year to one count of
conspiracy and two of bank fraud for depositing or trying to
deposit three checks worth $775,000 into an account he controlled.
Prosecutors allege that was part a wider scheme involving
more than a dozen suspects and $5 million in stolen, altered and
counterfeit checks.
"Being a track star does not suddenly somehow disable someone
from saying no when approached to take part in a crime," Judge
Karas said.
Among the other defendants are Montgomery's former track
coach, 1976 Olympic gold medalist Steven Riddick, and his former
agent, Charles Wells.
Montgomery's defense lawyer argued his client was just a
middle man.
"Just as when he was using performance enhancing drugs, he's
susceptible to bad influence," Timothy Heaphy told the judge. "Mr.
Montgomery, like Ms. Jones, will forever be tarred with the
branding of being a criminal."